From Two Years of Zero Sales to a Thriving Art Business with the Two Faced Twins (218)

Building an art business takes more than just talent—it takes determination, adaptability, and a willingness to keep going, even when success feels out of reach.

Stella and Gemma Stevens, the artists behind Two Faced Twins, know this firsthand. Their work—bold, colorful, and joyful—now has a dedicated following, but their path wasn’t always easy.

For two years, the Stevens twins struggled to sell a single piece. They faced creative differences, self-doubt, and even a gallery robbery. But instead of giving up, they leaned into their vision, their roles as artists, and their belief in what they were building.

In this conversation, host Alyson Stanfield talks with Stella and Gemma about:

• How they transformed sibling disagreements into a creative advantage.
• The strategies that helped them push through early struggles and build momentum.
• The business mindset that keeps them going, including their marketing and expansion efforts.
• How they inspire the next generation of artists through school visits.

One of the biggest takeaways? Determination isn’t just about working hard—it’s about believing in your work and staying the course.

00:35 Meet the Two Faced Twins: Stella and Gemma Stevens 02:20 Creative Process and Artistic Differences 03:39 Overcoming Early Struggles 06:50 Building a Business and Finding Motivation 18:08 The Birth of Two Faced Twins 20:38 Opening a Gallery During COVID 24:21 Family Involvement and Challenges 27:02 Dealing with a Gallery Robbery and the Aftermath 30:54 Income Streams Breakdown 32:38 Balancing Art and Business 34:50 Engaging with the Community 37:12 Promoting Artwork 39:46 School Visits and Their Impact 46:12 Future Plans and Expansion 48:54 The Importance of a Business Mentor 51:17 Final Thoughts and Takeaways

🎧 RELATED EPISODES

Here are a few other episodes that focus on collaborations:

Multiply Your Audience and Expand Your Show’s Impact with Jill Powers (ep. 27)

Knit Democracy Together with Eve Jacobs-Carnahan (ep. 64)

Expanding Your Skillset to Respond to Opportunities with Detour (ep. 128)

A Collaboration Between 2 Artists that Led to Creative Growth (ep. 183)

📖 To read more, see images, find resources mentioned, and leave a comment, visit https://artbizsuccess.com/two-faced-twins

⭐️ Connect with Stella and Gemma Stevens and see their art: https://twofacedtwins.com

🔶 Does your art business need a boost or a refresh? Please see my comprehensive art-marketing program, Essentials for Artist Success 🔶  full of tools, strategies, and process you need to establish your professionalism and increase your visibility. For those with beginning and emerging art careers and those who need to approach their business with more thought and intention.

⛰️ The Art Biz is recorded on the traditional land of the Cheyenne, Arapaho and Ute tribes.

~ ~ ! ATTENTION INDIGENOUS ARTISTS and BIPOC ARTISTS ! ~ ~

This is an invitation to all Indigenous and BIPOC artists, wherever you are in the world, to share your story here on The Art Biz. Here’s how ~~~~> https://artbizsuccess.com/pitch-podcast/